The present invention is directed toward unmanned vehicles, and, more particularly, to lubricating a machine using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Machines with moving parts often require lubrication. A lubricant primarily helps reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact. However, lubrication can have many addition benefits, such as: keeping moving parts separated, transferring heat, carrying away contaminants and debris, transmitting power, protecting against wear, preventing corrosion and rust, creating a gas seal, avoiding smoke and fire of objects.
Maintaining properly lubricated parts is not always straightforward. A lubrication schedule can necessitate focus on future planning rather than near-term needs. Additionally, machine operation regimes can be complex. When resources are scarce, equipment often runs for longer times than its design specifications. Frequent start and stop cycles can exacerbate the wear and tear on machinery. Reuse of old parts and old equipment can require mechanics and other technicians to determine repair and maintenance via trial and error.
Furthermore, difficult to reach lubrication points can pose a safety risk to employees and add significant expense to a lubrication schedule. For example, modern wind turbines can be elevated hundreds of feet from the ground. Proper lubrication of elevated wind turbines may require technicians to climb tall turbine towers in harsh environments.